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                    Running NAnt
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                    v0.85
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        <h1>Running NAnt</h1>
        
        <p>
            Running NAnt is simple once you have it <a href="../introduction/fog0000000013.html">
                installed</a>,&nbsp;just type <code>NAnt</code>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Type <code style="whitespace: nowrap;">
                NAnt -help</code> to get usage information.</p>
        <h3>Specifying the Build File</h3>
        <p>
            When nothing is specified, NAnt looks for a file ending with <code>.build</code>, 
            e.g., <code>NAnt.build</code>, in the current directory.&nbsp; If found, it 
            uses that file as the build file.&nbsp; If more than one file is found you need 
            to specify the build file using the <code>-buildfile</code> option (see below).</p>
        <p>
            If you use the <code>-find</code> option, NAnt will search for a build file in 
            the parent directory, and so on, until the root of the file system has been 
            reached.&nbsp; To make NAnt use another build file, use the command-line option 
            -buildfile:<em>file</em>, where <em>file</em> is the build file you want to 
            use.</p>
        <h3>Specifying Targets</h3>
        <p>
            You can specify one or more targets that should be executed. When omitted, the 
            target that is specified in the <code>default</code> attribute of the <code>&lt;project&gt;</code>
            tag is used.</p>
        <p>
            The <code>-projecthelp</code> option prints out the description of the project, 
            if it exists, followed by a list of the project's targets. First those with a 
            description, then those without one.</p>
        <h3>Setting Properties</h3>
        <p>
            To override properties specified in the build file use the <code style="whitespace: nowrap;">
                -D:<i>property</i>=<i>value</i></code> option, where <i>property</i> is the 
            name of the property, and <i>value</i> is the value for that property.&nbsp;</p>
        <h3>Examples</h3>
        <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
            <div>
                <pre>NAnt</pre>
            </div>
        </blockquote>
        <p>
            Runs NAnt using the file ending in&nbsp;<code>*.build.xml</code> file in the 
            current directory, on the default target.</p>
        <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
            <div>
                <pre>NAnt -buildfile:..\ProjectName.build</pre>
            </div>
        </blockquote>
        <p>
            Runs NAnt using the <code>ProjectName.build</code> file in the parent 
            directory, on the default target.</p>
        <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
            <div>
                <pre>NAnt clean</pre>
            </div>
        </blockquote>
        <p>
            Runs NAnt using the default build file in the current directory, on a target 
            called <code>clean</code>.</p>
        <blockquote dir="ltr" style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
            <div>
                <pre>NAnt -D:debug=false clean dist</pre>
            </div>
        </blockquote>
        <p>
            Runs NAnt using the default build file in the current directory, first on 
            the&nbsp;<code>clean</code> target and then on the <code>dist</code> target 
            while setting the <code>debug</code> property to <code>false</code>.&nbsp; This 
            could, for example, make a release distribution from scratch.</p>
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